If Mahabharata's Bhagvad-Gita is taken as a philosophical guide, Ramayana's Sundara Kãnda is sought for spiritual solace. What is more, many believe that reading Sundara Kãnda or hearing it recited would remove all hurdles and usher in good tidings!

Canto 64 - Return of the Platoon

At the diktak of his Lord
Took leave Dadhimukh of them all.

Flew he back then to Madhuvan
With his flock to fetch Hanuman.

Speeded as he to his Lord
Rushed he so back to Madhuvan.

In the garden he left them
Found he vanars turn sober.

Went he straight to Angad then
Spoke he thus with folded hands.

Pardon my flock and me too
For we tried to stop thee all
From thy having fun of life.

At thy pleasure O Prince Angad
Let thy folk have some more fun.

Like thy dad in days of yore
Sugreev ’n thou make our Lords.

Told we Sugreev thy uncle
Landed thou all in Madhuvan.

Felt he so glad hearing that
Found I safe ’n sound all thee.

Flared up he not as I told
Spoiled all of thee Madhuvan.

Now he sent me here to fetch
Thee all back to him forthwith.

At this Angad told his flock
Rama could be in the know.

Inclined am to think so
Seeing joyous Dadhimukh’s face.

Now that all of us had fun
Why not go back to our Lord.

Wish I none have to dictate
Like to follow what thee say.

Brought as thou us this glory
Honour me thou as thy Prince
It’s no time that’s opportune
For me to thee dictate terms.

Spake as Angad to his flock
Made that happy one and all.

Spoke they in turn to Angad
All of them in one voice,
Like thou take us as equals
Who else would treat his subjects?

Bow as thou to thy subjects
Take thee that to top of world.

Think as thee of thy uncle
We too wish to see our Lord.

Lead us all to where thee go
None of us would drag his feet.

Gave as Angad green signal
Rose then his flock to the skies.

Angad thus with at the head
Flew they flying saucer like.

Thus in tow with Hanuman then
Pulled his flock all back Angad.

Sighting Angad in the skies
Spoke then Sugreev to Rama.

See our vanars flying back
Portends that well for Seetha.

Espy speed at which they fly
Would they do so had they failed?

To me if he were to fail
Would ever Angad show his face?

Besides fouling my Madhuvan
Were he failed to find Seetha
How dare Angad come to me?

If not that they found Seetha
Would have Angad let his flock
At the pain of death enter
Madhuvan that’s so dear to me?

Feel I certain Hanuman did
Find Seetha in thy waiting.

Espouses as he some cause
Hanuman is ever dedicated.

Whatever he might undertake
Known is Angad for his luck.

Now that Angad advances
Like the one who succeeded
That should make us feel easy.

That our vanars on errand
Wrecked my garden in orgies
Would but portend that Seetha
Was found in the pink of health.

Won’t they roar in joyous mood
What’s that but they got it right.

Saw vanar Lord in descent
Angad’s flock in bid to land.

In salute to that force his strong
Raised then Sugreev tail his straight.

Seeing Sugreev in welcome
Signalled Angad to his flock
Land they might all on the trot.

Enthused as were all by then
Lost no time to land vanars.

Having went to Rama straight
‘Seen I Seetha’ told Hanuman.

Gladdened tidings of the news
Hearts of Ram and his sibling.

Felt glad Sugreev that Hanuman
Caressed was by Lakshman’s eyes.

Melted loving look of Ram
Hanuman to the core of heart.

Canto 65 - News in Brief

Followed Angad suit Hanuman
Paid he respects to Lord Ram.

Such was vanars’ state of mind
Spoke they out of turn they all.

Blabbered they all one by one
In bits ’n pieces what they heard.

Amused by their hearsay Ram
Heard them all for quite sometime.

Enquired in time Ram of them
What doth Seetha think of him.

At that they all passed baton
To Hanuman who was in the know.

Set to recap then Hanuman
Thought of Seetha in reverence
And turned southward to face her.

Taking seat at Rama’s feet
Handed him then that diadem
Given by Seetha for recall
And thus spoke with folded hands.

Pressed as I was by my peers
Crossed I ocean lay there south
In search of Seetha there yonder.

Reached I Lanka in no time
Land that ruled by vile Ravan.

Found I Seetha in distress
Jailed as Ravan to digress
From her love to thee her Lord.

In the hope of her rescue
Lingers she on in thy thought.

Never having had bad dream
Wonder how her life turned sour.

In tight rein is Seetha held
Day ’n night of vigil to boot
Of the devilish guards in scores.

Floor she uses for her bed
Curses Ravan for her plight.

It’s that Seetha in lament
Found I at length in torment.

In time I could impress her
That am but thine own agent.

How glad was she as I told
Hath Lord Sugreev turned thy friend.

Steadfast as she in thy thought
Prayed thee for long in reverence.

Told me she then that story
Of the eager crow and thee.

Beseeched Seetha then with me
To tell her tale of owes to thee.

Give this diadem to my Lord
When thy Lord is there with him.

Tell my Ram that I relive
Touch his as he adorned me
With this diadem my dad gave
To me on our wedding day.

It’s this one that makes me feel
As if thee are ever with me.

Gave though Ravan two more months
To change my mind or face then death
Prefer I would to end my life
At the end of one more month.

In her state of distress Lord
That’s how Seetha spoke to me.

Now that I made thee privy
To the plight of thy Seetha
Think of ways ’n means to take
Our force there to bring her back.

Felt though Ram then so sad
Spouse his was in such distress
Yet he felt glad that Hanuman
Could show him the way to her.

Canto 66 - Tears in Torrents

Moved by Seetha’s plight he heard
Wept Ram holding her diadem.

Welling his eyes to then brim
Brought it memories in torrents.

Told he then the import of
Diadem that to Lord Sugreev.

It was gift of her father
At the time of our wedding.

Given it was by nonetheless
Than Lord Indra to her dad.

As I see this diadem now
Recall I well our wedding
Graced by parents of us both.

Ever I recall that aura
Gives this diadem to Seetha.

For the solace of my soul
Make it encore O Hanuman
How my Seetha misses me.